AT&T commits billions to continue funding high-speed internet program
Telecom giant AT&T has pledged $3B to narrow the “digital divide” between lower-income rural households and wealthier urbanites, bringing the program’s total to $5B. The announcement comes just weeks before the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) runs out of funding, potentially jeopardizing internet access for 23M households.
- AT&T’s increased commitment will sustain discounted connectivity services, aiming to keep 25M Americans “connected to affordable, high-speed internet.”
- The remaining funds will bankroll discounted wireless rates for K-12 schools, colleges, and universities, along with broadband, 5G, and fiber network infrastructure.
Masterful gambit, sir: For decades, AT&T has focused on expanding internet access, dangling fiber-optic and rural internet access over regulators to secure acquisitions and taxpayer money. However, its utilization of the $400B in taxpayer subsidies for the telecom business has been criticized for inefficiency. That’s why it’s important to take this latest promise with a grain of salt; it could just be a PR distraction from its latest data breach.
